Joel Embiid

They say to be the best, you must beat the best, and in the NBA playoffs, two proud past champions are teetering. In the West, the defending champion Golden State Warriors will start postseason play minus injured all-world guard Stephen Curry. In the East, the 2016 NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers haven't looked like themselves all season long. Are we about to see the crowning of new title holders?

You'd have to think that the Washington Wizards were really pulling for Hillary Clinton to win the U.S. Presidency in 2016. After all, they had a vested interest. The Wizards haven't defeated the Spurs in San Antonio since a 99-89 verdict on Dec. 11, 1999, when Bill Clinton was serving in the White House. Yes, you are absolutely right. That was a very long time ago.

What do Joel Embiid, DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook have to do with Super Bowl LII? Well, nothing you'd think, unless some of those athletes from other sports are fans of the New England Patriots or Philadelphia Eagles and therefore hold a vested interest in the outcome. But you'd be wrong. Thanks to Bovada's Super Bowl cross-sport wagers, you can play all of them in a Super Bowl bet.

Continuing to embolden their global initiative, the NBA will contest its eighth game in London, England since 2011 as the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics get set to do battle. But more than a marketing ploy and a chance to sell NBA products overseas, there's significant implications to this game. Both teams are enjoying very solid seasons and carried lengthy winning streaks with them as they crossed the pond.